The application period for the fund for unique accommodations opened last Wednesday, the 22nd, and will remain open until July 22nd of this year. The jury will select the 100 beneficiaries of the fund over the coming months, with the aim of having the new accommodations completed by next year.
SANTO DOMINGO - Airbnb announced last week a new project through which it seeks spaces that will leave travelers from all over the world speechless, for which it is offering ten million dollars to the 100 people from all over the world with the most original ideas to design stays.
"This new fund created by the platform is designed to bring to life the most eccentric ideas that designers, architects, handymen or artisans from all over the world have in their heads, whether they are professionals or if it is their first project," explains the statement posted on the platform.
It states that the $10 million will be allocated to 100 people to carry out projects that stand out for their uniqueness and that once built they will be converted into ads in the Unique accommodations category on Airbnb, where truly unique spaces can be found.
"Those with an original project in mind can submit their application to airbnb.es/omgfund starting today. A panel of experts will evaluate the proposals based on their originality, feasibility, the experience the space will offer guests, and sustainability."
The fund—the document explains—responds to the flexible lifestyles that have emerged in the last two years, a trend that has led Airbnb guests to seek more original spaces that are destinations in themselves. In 2021, more than 30,000 new listings of unique spaces in different corners of the world were published on Airbnb.
He adds that since its launch last May, the Unique category has received more than 2.5M visits, becoming one of the most popular among guests as it brings together accommodations that, otherwise, would be hard to believe actually exist.
Staying on Airbnb provides economic benefits to hosts and their communities. In 2021, the typical host in Spain earned more than $4,300. "Furthermore, nights booked in unique accommodations increased globally by more than 49% from 2019 to 2021," the statement notes.
“When the Idaho Potato Commission removed the six-ton prop potato, I snapped it up and spent $32,000 turning it into an Airbnb,” says Kristie Wolfe , superhost and judge for the Unique Accommodations Fund. She notes that she went from earning $13 an hour to making $208,000 in less than three years, money she explains she used to break into the market with other accommodations that have allowed her to unleash her creativity and meet hundreds of people.
The jury
A jury composed of true institutions in the field of cutting-edge design, a renowned architect, and a superhost from Airbnb's Unique accommodation category will be in charge of evaluating the applications.
Among them are Iris Apfel , an irrefutable and irreverent style icon for a century; Koichi Takada, founder of the Sydney-based architecture firm Koichi Takada Architects , known for his emotive, nature-inspired designs; Kristie Wolfe , superhost and creator of several Unique accommodations; and Bruce Vaughn, a Disney alumnus and Vice President of Experience at Airbnb.
The application period for the fund for unique accommodations opened last Wednesday, June 22, and will remain open until July 22. The jury will select the 100 beneficiaries of the fund over the coming months, with the aim of having the new accommodations completed by next year.
Source: Airbnb platform.
